Variable container system

ABSTRACT

A variable container system for erecting cuboidal modular units, which are arranged adjacently or one above the other and can be used for living or working purposes. Each modular unit includes: a floor element used as a lower base with four saddle elements, each of which is arranged at a corner and has inclined guide surfaces for placing two end-face wall elements; a roof element used as an upper cover with four saddle elements, each of which is arranged at a corner and has inclined guide surfaces for placing on the two end-face wall elements; and two end-face wall elements with two respective inclined lower corner guides for placing on the saddle elements of the floor element and two respective inclined upper corner guides for placing the saddle elements of the roof element on the end-face wall element.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a variable container system for the creation of cuboid modular units, which are arranged next to one another and one on top of the other and which can serve for living or working purposes.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Containers of the stated type are used everywhere where fixed, immovable facilities are considered not to be cost-effective or economical. Containers of the aforementioned type are particularly intended for being able to make livable space available quickly and flexibly, for example for use as office space, hospital rooms, operating rooms and the like. Usually, such containers are cuboid, prefinished modular units that can be combined to form a structure by being placed next to one another and stacked on site. In the patent application WO 2010/083798 A1, a container system is proposed that allows rapid and variable setup and removal.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention was developed against the background of the state of the art as described above. It is the task of the invention to further improve the variable container system known according to the state of the art, for creation of modular units that are arranged next to one another and/or one on top of the other, and, in particular, to simplify construction and to increase the structural stability and mechanical load-bearing capacity.

This task is accomplished in that a modular unit comprises, in each instance: a) a floor element that serves as a lower base, having a total of four saddle elements arranged at the corners, in each instance, the elements having inclined guide surfaces for placement of two end-face wall elements, b) a roof element that serves as an upper cover, having a total of four saddle elements arranged at the corners, in each instance, the elements having inclined guide surfaces for placement onto the two end-face wall elements, c) two end-face wall elements, each having two inclined lower corner guides for placement onto the saddle elements of the floor element, and each having two inclined upper corner guides for placement of the saddle elements of the roof element onto the end-face wall element, wherein d) each guide surface of the floor element is inclined downward in the direction of the two saddle elements that are arranged opposite one another, in each instance; and e) each guide surface of the roof element is inclined upward in the direction of the two saddle elements that are arranged opposite one another, in each instance; and f) the corner guides of the end-face wall elements have inclinations that are complementary to the stated guide surfaces, in each instance. The guides of the floor elements and of the end-face wall elements are therefore complementary to one another with regard to their dimensions, shape, and inclination. A floor element has a total of four saddle elements, specifically two for a front end-face wall element, in each instance, and two for an opposite rear end-face wall element, in each instance. In this regard, the direction of inclination of the saddle elements is selected in such a manner that force is exerted on an end-face wall element by means of its weight when it is placed onto the floor element; specifically, a force component acts in the direction of the center of the end-face wall element. The other force component, at a right angle to the first, acts in the direction of the opposite end-face wall element. Because of the inclined guide surfaces of the saddle elements, the end-face wall element is therefore advantageously centered in the middle of the floor element. Therefore the end-face wall element slides into the planned position by means of gravity. As a result, the opposite end-face wall elements of a modular unit are aligned relative to one another. By means of the other force component, the end-face wall element is pressed inward. The beveled, inclined guide surfaces at the top of the end-face wall elements make it possible that the roof element likewise slides into the centered position when it is set onto the end-face wall elements. As a result, positioning of further levels is furthermore guaranteed. The elements that are inserted into one another thereby wedge into the saddle elements and are then connected with one another in slip-free manner. As a result, a self-aligning and self-supporting frame of a modular unit is obtained.

Advantageous embodiments of the invention, having non-restrictive additional characteristics, will be described below.

The guide surfaces of the saddle elements can each have a convex or concave curvature, and the corner guides of the end-face wall elements can each have a complementary concave or convex curvature. It is advantageous if the guide surfaces are increased in size in this way. A full-area, load-bearing connection at the saddle elements is created in the manner of a ball joint, which connection guarantees even more precise positioning by means of the ball-type curvature, specifically even in the case of possible production-related tolerances of the components. The curvatures can either be directly formed on the saddle elements and corner guides or can be formed as correspondingly shaped saddle plates and/or contact plates, which sit on the saddle elements and are fastened onto the corner guides.

In order to fasten the end-face wall elements onto the floor element and/or the roof element, the saddle elements can have a truncated cone having an inside thread, in each instance, and the corner guides of the end-face wall elements can have a hollow truncated cone complementary to the former, which can be set onto it, wherein a truncated cone and a hollow truncated cone can be connected, in each instance, by means of a cap screw that can be screwed into the inside thread.

The end-face wall elements can be dismountable so as to further simplify transport and maintenance. They can furthermore be adjustable in width, so as to guarantee even better alignment.

The perpendicular supports can have lower and upper extensions onto which the horizontal transverse supports can be screwed so as to allow adjustability of the width of the end/face wall elements.

Alternatively or in addition, the end-face wall elements can be connected with the floor element and the roof element by means of tensioning devices, in each instance. As a result, the components are additionally braced and firmly connected with one another.

Each tensioning device is biased by means of two holding elements, wherein for the lower tensioning device, the first holding element is fastened in the center edge region on the inside of an end-face wall element, and the second holding element is fastened at the top of the floor element, and wherein for the upper tensioning device, the first holding element is also fastened in the center edge region on the inside of an end-face wall element, and the second holding element is fastened on the underside of the roof element, so that an imaginary right triangle is formed by the two holding elements and the tensioning device.

A tensioning device can comprise a steel cable. Preferably, the tensioning device comprises a tie rod. The advantage is that a tie rod can absorb not only tension forces but also pressure forces, so that the rigidity of a modular unit formed in this manner is significantly improved.

The tensioning device is configured in such a manner that the tensioning stress is adjustable. In this way, the tensile stress or bias and thereby the angle between the floor element or roof element, respectively, and the end-face wall elements can be precisely adjusted. For example, a tie rod can have a thread and a socket that accommodates the thread, so that the length and thereby the bias of the tie rod changes as the tie rod is rotated.

Modular units that are fastened next to one another on the longitudinal sides can be braced and thereby coupled with one another by means of tensioning devices that are arranged in cross shape.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The figures show, in detail:

FIG. 1 a perspective view of the components of a modular unit;

FIG. 2 a perspective view of the assembled modular unit;

FIG. 3 a perspective view with four floor elements and two inside walls;

FIG. 4 a perspective view of a container system having four modular units;

FIG. 5 a perspective detail view of a lower corner region from FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 a different perspective detail view of the components from FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 a perspective detail view of the assembled components from FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 a perspective detail view of the assembled components from FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 perspective detail view of a container system having four modular units;

FIG. 10 a perspective detail view of a second embodiment of the container system; and

FIG. 11 a different perspective view of the second embodiment from FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 a perspective detail view of a third embodiment; and

FIG. 13 a perspective detail view of the third embodiment from the front.

Functionally equivalent parts are provided with the same number as a reference symbol.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

In the following, preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention will be explained in detail, making reference to the drawings, wherein further advantageous characteristics can be derived from the figures of the drawing.

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the components of a modular unit 1. For reasons of clarity, the components are shown “in suspension,” in other words slightly outside of their inserted position. A modular unit 1 of the container system comprises a lower floor element 10, a front 30 and a rear end-face wall element 30, in each instance, and an upper roof element 20. The roof element 20 has essentially the same structure as the floor element 10, i.e. it is the same element, without any structural difference being present. A floor element 10 becomes a roof element 20 within a container system in that it is attached “upside down,” in other words with its underside facing up, onto the end-face wall elements 30. The two end-face wall elements 30 also have the same structure, so that the modular unit 1 shown is essentially composed only of three different load-bearing components 10, 20, 30.

The floor element 10, end-face wall element 30, and roof element 20 have an essentially rectangular basic shape, so that in total, a cuboid shape results for the modular unit 1 as a whole. The said components have an outer, essentially rectangular frame made of steel or aluminum. The floor element 10 and roof element 20 each have two longitudinal struts 13, 23 and outer as well as central reinforcing transverse struts 14, 24. An end-face wall element 30 comprises two supports 33, which are arranged perpendicular with reference to the floor element 10 and are spaced apart from one another by a lower and an upper transverse support 34, which run horizontally, and are connected with one another by means of welding. Due to the frame structure shown, rectangular openings occur for the end-face element 30 and for the floor element 10 and the roof element 30, as well as on the sides. The inside angles of all the openings always amount to 90 degrees. A panel 40 composed of a suitable material, having windows 41, is fastened into the opening of the front end-face wall 30. The side walls are formed by multiple non-load-bearing panels 42, and roof element 20 has a covering 43. When the rectangular openings of the floor element 10 are closed off by means of plates (not shown), the floor element 10 forms a floor on which it is possible to walk. In this manner, a closed modular unit 1 can be created.

The underside of the floor element 10 lies either directly on a horizontal ground surface or is attached, in the case of a multi-level container system, to a roof element 20 having the same structure, whereby a slab element (not shown) is formed. Fastening of the two components 10, 20 onto one another takes place by means of a screw connection.

The floor element 10 serves as a horizontal base for the end-face wall elements 30. To put the two end-face wall elements 30 in place, a saddle element 11 having an inclined guide surface 12 on the top side is provided at the four corners of the floor element 10, in each instance. The guide surfaces 12 are slanted and arranged in such a manner that their inclination drops, in each instance, both in the direction of the outer transverse strut 14 and in the direction of the longitudinal struts 13. With reference to the floor element 10, the highest point of the guide surfaces 12 is therefore disposed at the outer corner, and the lowest point is disposed opposite at the inner corner.

On the underside of the perpendicular supports 33, the end-face wall elements 30 have inclined corner guides 31 that face downward and are inclined toward the guide surfaces 12 of the saddle elements 11 of the floor element 10, and therefore can be set onto these. Because of the inclined guide surfaces 12 of the floor element 10 and the complementarily inclined corner guides 31 of the end-face wall elements 30, the end-face wall elements 30 are not just pressed downward by means of their weight but are additionally centered. Furthermore, they are pressed inward in the direction of the longitudinal struts 13, all the way to contact elements 15 provided for this purpose, so that they assume the desired position.

Since the roof element 20 is essentially identical in structure to the floor element 10, it has four identical saddle elements 21 with inclined guide surfaces 22 at its two corners, but these face downward, since the roof element 20 is turned “upside down” by 180 degrees. The guide surfaces 22 serve for fastening of the roof element 20 onto the two end-face wall elements 30, which have complementary upper corner guides 31. As a result, the roof element 20 is centered on the two end-face wall elements 30, in the longitudinal direction and the transverse direction, solely by means of its weight.

Fastening of the components 10, 20, 30 takes place by means of the tie rods 50, 51.

The possibility exists of pre-assembling the modular units 1 completely and transporting them as finished modular units 1, and of setting them up and stacking them on site. This option can be advantageous in the case of smaller container systems, because setup can take place more quickly and more cost-advantageously due to the pre-assembly. In the case of medium-size and large container systems, it is more advantageous to transport the modular units 1 in the disassembled state and to assemble them at the setup site.

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a modular unit 1 that is put together from the components of FIG. 1. The lower floor element 10 serves as the base for the modular unit 1 shown. A front 30 and a rear end-face wall element 30 are set onto the floor element 10. The one end of the lower tie rods 50 is fastened to the inside of the vertical supports 33 of the end-face wall elements 30, and their other end is fastened to the longitudinal struts 13 of the floor element 10, so that the tie rods 50 form a right triangle with the corresponding sections of the perpendicular support 33 and of the longitudinal struts 13, in each instance. An upper roof element 20 is set onto the end-face wall elements 30, which element is fastened to the perpendicular supports 33 of the end-face wall element 30 in the same manner, by means of upper tie rods 51. The overall shape of a cuboid is formed for the modular unit 1.

FIG. 3 shows a perspective view with four floor elements 10 and with two inside walls 44. In order to construct a container system composed of four modular units 1 (see FIG. 2), the four floor elements 10 are arranged next to one another in accordance with the representation. Above the four floor elements 10, two inside walls of the container system are shown. For reasons of the illustration, one inside wall 44 is shown “suspended,” in other words slightly above its intended position.

A single inside wall 44 is formed, in each instance, from two end-face wall elements 30 having the same structure and fastened to one another. In total, four end-face wall elements 30 are therefore shown. A multi-level container system having four modular units 10 arranged next to one another and one on top of the other can therefore be constructed from only three components, namely the floor element and roof element 10, 20 and the end-face wall element 30.

In this regard, two end-face wall elements 30 are fastened to one another, in each instance, in such a manner that their slanted upper and lower corner guides 31 form a common groove 39 that faces downward and a common groove 38 that faces upward, in each instance, which grooves are approximately V-shaped. Two floor elements 10, in each instance, are disposed with their end faces against one another, so that two saddle elements 11 that lie against one another, in each instance, form a common tongue-and-groove joint 19 with their inclined guide surfaces 12, which joint is complementary to the lower groove 39 formed by two end-face wall elements 30. The two end-face wall elements 30, which together form an inside wall 44, can be set onto the tongue-and-groove joint 19 with the groove 39, and thereby two floor elements 10 are firmly connected with one another by means of the clamping effect of the groove 39. Since the floor elements 10 are identical with the roof elements 20, their saddle elements 21 for a similar tongue-and-groove joint (not shown), which is also complementary to the upper groove 38 formed by two end-face wall elements 30 and by means of which the two roof elements 20 can be firmly connected with one another in the same manner, by means of the clamping effect of the groove 38.

During assembly of a modular unit 1, the end-face wall elements 30 or inner walls 44 are secured immediately after having been set onto the floor elements 10, in that they are fastened to the floor elements 10, using the lower tie rods 50. This serves for work safety, first of all, since the end-face wall elements 30 are prevented from tipping over. The tie rods 50 are configured in such a manner that the tensile stress is adjustable. During further setup, the tensile stress can therefore be adjusted, and the position of the end-face wall elements 30 can also be adjusted. The tie rods 50, 51 furthermore significantly improve the stability of a modular unit, since they can absorb and conduct away not just tensile forces but also pressure forces.

Fastening of components of the container system is always understood to be releasing fastening or a plug-in connection, since the container system can be used as needed and can be quickly constructed and disassembled again.

FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of a container system having four modular units 1. It is shown that a single outside wall is formed from the end-face wall element 30 and a single inside wall 44 is formed from two end-face wall elements 30. The roof elements 20 are fastened to the end-face wall elements 30 by means of the upper tie rods 51.

In the case of a multi-level structure, floor elements 10 having the same structure would be fastened onto the roof elements 20, and in turn, end-face wall elements 30 and roof elements 20 would be fastened on top of them, etc.

FIG. 5 shows a perspective detail view from the side of the lower corner region of the modular unit 1 from FIG. 1 with components shown “suspended” one on top of the other. One of the four corners of the floor element 10 with a saddle element 11 for setting the perpendicular support 33 of the end-face wall element 30 in place is shown. The saddle element 11 is configured in wedge shape and has an upper guide surface 12 having a double inclination or slant. For one thing, the guide surface 12 is inclined downward in the direction a toward the front transverse strut 14. For another, the guide surface 12 is inclined downward in the direction b toward the longitudinal strut 13. At the upper and lower end of the perpendicular support 33, complementarily inclined corner guides 31 are provided, which can be set onto the saddle elements 11. By means of the saddle elements 11, the end-face wall elements 30 are centered on the transverse strut 14 in direction a and furthermore are pressed in direction b, in other words in the direction of the longitudinal struts 13 of the floor element, specifically all the way to the edge of the contact element 15.

In order to even out production tolerances and to achieve an even better connection and centering, a saddle plate 16 that is flat on the underside and has a convex upward curvature on the top side is provided, which plate is fastened to the corner guide 31, i.e. to the support plate 36. Correspondingly, a support plate 36 is fastened to the corner guide 31, which plate has a complementary concave curvature.

A holding element 52 a for fastening the lower tie rod 50 in place is fastened onto the top side of the longitudinal strut 13.

FIG. 6 shows a perspective front detail view of the components from FIG. 5. It is particularly shown that the support plate 36 has a concave curvature on the underside and is flat on the top side. Furthermore, it is shown that the horizontal transverse support 34 of the end-face wall element 30 is configured as an angular U-shaped profile having shanks 35 of different lengths, which face downward. The U-shaped profile of the transverse support 34 thus serves as a guide when the wall element is set onto the transverse strut 14.

FIG. 7 shows a perspective detail view of the assembled components 10 and 30 from FIG. 5. The saddle element 11 with the perpendicular support 33 set onto it is shown, wherein the saddle plate 16 and the support plate 36 are arranged between the corner guide 31 and the saddle element 11. The stop 15 restricts the movement of the end-face wall element 30 in direction b (see FIG. 5), in other words in the direction of the longitudinal strut 13. The tie rod 50 is fastened to the holding element 52 a, which in turn is fastened to the longitudinal strut 13.

FIG. 8 shows a perspective detail view of the assembled components 10 and 30 from FIG. 6. The saddle element 11 with the perpendicular support 33 set onto it is shown, wherein the saddle plate 16 and the support plate 36 are arranged between the corner guide 31 of the perpendicular support and the saddle element 11. Furthermore, it is shown that the shanks 35 engage around the upper region of the transverse strut 14 and thereby serve as a guide for the transverse support 34.

FIG. 9 shows a perspective view of a container system having four modular units 1, wherein the front unit is shown suspended. The floor elements 10 are fastened to the end-face wall elements 30 by means of lower tie rods 50, in each instance, and fastened to the end-face wall elements 30 and the roof element 20 by means of upper tie rods 51, in each instance, in biased manner.

Fastening of the tie rods 50, 51 takes place by means of the lower holding elements 52 a, the center holding elements 52 b, and the upper holding elements 52 c (not shown, see FIG. 11). The tie rods 50, 51 of two modular units 1 arranged next to one another run parallel to one another. The modular units 1 are connected with one another by means of screw connections.

FIG. 10 shows a perspective detail view of a second embodiment of the container system having two modular units 1, 1′. In this regard, the upper and lower tie rods 50, 51 of the two modular units 1 arranged next to one another do not run parallel to one another, but rather intersect and form an X shape. In this regard, the lower tie rod 50, in each instance, which is fastened to the longitudinal strut 13 of the floor element 10 by means of the holding element 52 a, is not fastened to the end-face wall element 30 that is set onto this floor element 10, but rather it is fastened, using the holding element 52 b′, to the end-face wall element 10′ that is set onto the floor element 10′ arranged next to the former. The lower tie rod 50′ fastened to specifically this floor element 10′ is correspondingly fastened to the end-face wall element 30 that is set onto the floor element 10 arranged next to the one just mentioned.

In the same manner, the upper tie rod 51, which is fastened to the longitudinal strut 23 of the roof element 20, is fastened to the end-face wall element 30′ onto which the roof element 20′ arranged next to the former is set, and the upper tie rod 51′, which is fastened to the longitudinal strut 23′ of the roof element 20′, is fastened to the end-face wall element 30 that is set onto the roof element 20 arranged next to the other. The upper tie rods 51, 51′ also intersect and form an X shape.

In this way, modular units 1, 1′ arranged next to one another are additionally fastened to one another crosswise and braced against one another.

FIG. 11 shows a perspective detail view of the second embodiment with crosswise bracing of the tie rods 50, 50′, 51, 51′ as shown in FIG. 10, at a slant from below. In this view, the upper holding elements 52 c are shown.

FIG. 12 shows a perspective detail view of a third embodiment. One of the four corners of the floor element 10 having a saddle element 11 for placing the perpendicular support 33 of the end-face wall element 30 onto it is shown. The embodiment shown differs from the embodiments described above by means of the saddle element 11, among other things. To illustrate the function, the same saddle element 11 is shown four times, next to one another, in FIG. 12, and indicated with the numbers 11 a, 11 b, 11 c, and 11 d, in each instance. The saddle element 11 is configured in wedge shape and has an upper guide surface 12 having a double inclination or slant, as described above in connection with the other embodiments. However, the surface 12 is not configured to be convex but rather flat. In order to achieve an even better connection and centering when setting the perpendicular supports 33 in place, a truncated cone 112 having an inside thread 113 is fastened onto the surface 12 instead. For the inside thread 113, a cap screw 114 having a matching outside thread 115 is provided. A support plate 136 is arranged between the saddle element 11 and the cap screw 114, which plate can be fastened onto the saddle element 11 using the cap screw 114.

In the case of the saddle element lib, the support plate 136 and the cap screw 114 are shown “suspended” one on top of the other. The support plate 136 has a hollow truncated cone 137 that is slanted downward, which cone is complementary to the truncated cone 112, and the inside diameter of which is slightly greater than the outside diameter of the truncated cone 112, so that the support plate 136 can be set onto the truncated cone 112.

This is shown in the case of the saddle element 11 a. The slant of the surface 12 of the saddle element 11 is evened out by means of the lower slant of the hollow truncated cone 137. The support plate 136 lies on the surface 12 of the saddle element 11 a. The cap screw 114 is screwed into the inside thread 113 of this element, so that a cap screw ring 117 presses onto the surface 138 of the hollow truncated cone 137 of the support plate 136. Since the diameter of the ring 117 is greater than the surface 138 of the hollow truncated cone 137, the hollow truncated cone 137, i.e. the support plate 136 is securely held on the saddle element 11.

In the case of the saddle element 11 c, a perpendicular support 33 of the end-face wall element 30 is shown suspended above the element. Corner guides 31, complementarily inclined relative to the saddle element 11, are provided at the upper and lower end of the perpendicular support 33, which guides can be set onto the saddle elements 11. It is shown that the support plate 136 is fastened to the underside of the support 33, i.e. the corner guide 31, for example by means of welding. As a result, the entire end-face wall element 30 is fastened to the saddle element 11 by means of a screw connection using the cap screw 114. This is shown in the case of the saddle element 11 d.

FIG. 13 shows a perspective detail view of the third embodiment from the front. As in FIG. 12, one of the four corners of the floor element 10 is shown, having a saddle element 11 having a truncated cone 112 for placement of the perpendicular support 33 of the end-face wall element 30 onto it. In the case of the third embodiment, the two perpendicular supports 33 and the two horizontal transverse supports 34 of the end-face wall element 30 are not firmly welded to one another, as is shown in FIG. 5, for example, but rather they are configured so that they can be connected using screws. As an illustration, the same end-face wall element 30 is shown twice, one behind the other, in FIG. 13, and indicated with the numbers 30 a and 30 b, in each instance. The end-face wall element 30 a shown at the front is shown in the non-screw-connected state, and the end-face wall element 30 b shown at the back is shown in the screw-connected state.

In the case of the front end-face wall element 30 a, the lower end of the perpendicular support 33, the horizontal transverse support 34, the transverse strut 14, and the saddle element 11 of the floor element 10 are shown “suspended” one on top of the other or next to one another. A cuboid extension 331 is fastened to each perpendicular support 33 at the upper end (not shown) and at the lower end, in each instance, for example by means of welding. The extensions 331 extend in the direction of the inside of the end-face wall element 30 a, in other words to the left in FIG. 13. The extensions 331 each have two oblong holes 332 that pass through them, through which two screws 342 can be passed.

The horizontal transverse support 34 comprises two approximately U-shaped profiles 341 having two horizontal shanks 345, in each instance. The profiles 341 each have two round holes 346 in their end regions. In this way, the front profile 341 and the rear profile 341′ can be fastened to the extension 331 together, in that the screws 342 are passed through the round holes 346 of the profiles 341, 341′ and the oblong holes 332 of the respective extension 331 and screwed into the nuts 343. In this regard, the transverse supports 34 having the shanks 345 engage around the upper, the lower, and the front side of the extension 331, so that a guide is formed, along which the transverse support 34 can be moved when the screws 342 have been slightly but not yet firmly tightened. This is made possible by means of the oblong holes 332.

In total, width variability occurs for the end-face wall element 30, determined by the length of the oblong holes 332 of the total of four extensions 331 of an end-face wall element 30. By means of this width variability, the end-face wall element 30 can be very precisely set onto the floor element 10. Setup takes place as follows: The end-face wall element 30 is first loosely screwed together, i.e. the screws 342 and nuts 343 are slightly but not yet firmly tightened. The end-face wall element 30 is then set onto the floor element 10, wherein centering takes place as described above, by means of the truncated cone 112 and the hollow truncated cone 137. Afterward, the screws 342 and nuts 343 as well as the cap screw 114 (see FIG. 14) are firmly tightened, so that the end-face wall element 30 is firmly connected by means of screws and is securely fastened onto the floor element.

The screw connection has the additional advantage that the end-face wall element 30 can be taken apart, so that transport and maintenance are further simplified.

REFERENCE SYMBOL LIST

-   1 modular unit -   10 floor element -   11 saddle elements -   12 guide surfaces -   13 longitudinal struts -   14 transverse struts -   15 contact elements -   16 saddle plate -   19 tongue-and-groove joint -   20 roof element -   21 saddle elements -   22 guide surfaces -   23 longitudinal struts -   24 transverse struts -   30 end-face wall elements -   31 corner guides -   33 perpendicular supports -   34 horizontal supports -   35 shanks of the transverse supports -   36 support plate -   38 upper groove -   39 lower groove -   40 end-face wall panel -   41 window -   42 side wall panels -   43 roof covering -   44 inside wall -   50 lower tie rods -   51 upper tie rods -   52 holding element -   112 truncated cone -   113 inside thread -   114 cap screw -   115 outside thread -   117 cap screw ring -   136 support plate -   137 hollow truncated cone -   138 hollow truncated cone surface -   331 extension -   332 oblong holes -   341 transverse support profile -   342 screws -   343 nuts -   346 round holes 

1. A variable container system for the creation of modular units (1), which are arranged next to one another and/or one on top of the other, wherein a modular unit (1) comprises, in each instance: a) a floor element (10) that serves as a lower base, having a total of four wedge-shaped saddle elements (11) arranged at the corners, in each instance, having inclined guide surfaces (12) for placement of two end-face wall elements (30), b) a roof element (20) that serves as an upper cover, having a total of four wedge-shaped saddle elements (21) arranged at the corners, in each instance, having inclined guide surfaces (22) for placement onto the two end-face wall elements (30), c) two end-face wall elements (30), each having two inclined lower corner guides (31) for placement onto the saddle elements (11) of the floor element (10), and each having two inclined upper corner guides (31) for placement of the saddle elements (21) of the roof element (20) onto the end-face wall element (30), wherein d) each guide surface (12) of the floor element (10) is inclined downward in the direction of the two saddle elements (11) that are arranged opposite one another, in each instance; and e) each guide surface (22) of the roof element (20) is inclined upward in the direction of the two saddle elements (21) that are arranged opposite one another, in each instance; and f) the corner guides (31) of the end-face wall elements (30) have inclinations that are complementary to the stated guide surfaces (12, 22), in each instance.
 2. The variable container system according to claim 1, wherein the guide surfaces (12) of the saddle elements (11) each have a convex or concave curvature, preferably by means of a correspondingly shaped saddle plate (16), and the corner guides (31) of the end-face wall elements (30) each have a complementary concave or convex curvature, preferably by means of a corresponding shaped support plate (36).
 3. The variable container system according to claim 1, wherein the saddle elements (11) have a truncated cone (112) having an inside thread (113), in each instance, and the corner guides (31) of the end-face wall elements (30) have a hollow truncated cone (137) complementary to the former, which can be set onto it, wherein a truncated cone (112) and a hollow truncated cone (113) can be firmly connected, in each instance, by means of a cap screw (114) that can be screwed into the inside thread (113), so that the end-face wall elements (30) are configured so that they can be fastened to the floor element (10) and/or the roof element (20).
 4. The variable container system according to claim 1, wherein the end-face wall elements (30) are dismountable and/or adjustable in width.
 5. The variable container system according to claim 1, wherein the perpendicular supports (33) have lower and upper extensions (331) having oblong holes (332), onto which the horizontal transverse supports (34) can be screwed.
 6. The variable container system according to claim 1, wherein the end-face wall elements (30) are connected with the floor element (10) by means of lower (51) tensioning devices, in each instance, and with the roof element (20) by means of upper (51) tensioning devices, in each instance.
 7. The variable container system according to claim 6, wherein each tensioning device (50, 51) is biased by means of two holding elements (52), wherein for the lower tensioning device (50), the first holding element (52) is fastened in the center edge region on the inside of an end-face wall element (30), and the second holding element (52) is fastened at the top of the floor element (10), and wherein for the upper tensioning device (50), the first holding element (52) is fastened in the center edge region on the inside of an end-face wall element (30), and the second holding element (52) is fastened on the underside of the roof element (20), so that an imaginary right triangle is formed by the two holding elements (52) and the tensioning device (50, 51).
 8. The variable container system according to claim 6, wherein a tensioning device comprises a steel cable or preferably a tie rod (50, 51).
 9. The variable container system according to claim 6, wherein the tensioning device (50, 51) is configured in such a manner that the tensile stress is adjustable.
 10. The variable container system according to claim 1, wherein two modular units, in each instance, arranged next to one another at the longitudinal sides, are braced and coupled with one another by means of tensioning devices (50, 51) that run in cross shape. 